Game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A board game design on an &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;invention&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; scheme wherein the object is to amass the greatest amount of wealth in the form of simulated money. The game generally includes a gameboard having a playing surface thereon, a playing piece for each player of the game, simulated money, a main track defining a primary playing piece path of travel on the playing surface, a tributary track connected to the main track defining a secondary playing piece path of travel on the playing surface, and a chance device for determining the advancement of the playing piece along said tracks. The main track has a plurality of stations including investment stations having indicia thereon representative of an investment that a player may acquire by expending the simulated money. The main track also includes at least one entrance station and one exit station defining locations on the playing surface wherein a playing piece may be moved off the main track and onto the main track respectively. The tributary track has a plurality of stations overlapping with the entrance station wherein the tributary track commences and the exit station wherein the tributary track ends. The tributary track also includes cash stations having indicia thereon representative of a financial return on an acquired investment whereby a player acquires wealth in the form of simulated money.

United States Patent 51 May 27, 1975 Breslow GAME APPARATUS [75] Inventor: Jeffrey D. Breslow, Highland Park,

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates,

Chicago, 111.

Primary Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Coffee & Sweeney [57] ABSTRACT A board game design on an invention" scheme wherein the object is to amass the greatest amount of wealth in the form of simulated money. The game generally includes a gameboard having a playing surface thereon, a playing piece for each player of the game, simulated money, a main track defining a primary playing piece path of travel on the playing surface, a tributary track connected to the main track defining a secondary playing piece path of travel on the playing surface, and a chance device for determining the advancement of the playing piece along said tracks. The main track has a plurality of stations including investment stations having indicia thereon representative of an investment that a player may acquire by expending the simulated money. The main track also includes at least one entrance station and one exit station defining locations on the playing surface wherein a playing piece may be moved off the main track and onto the main track respectively. The tributary track has a plurality of stations overlapping with the entrance station wherein the tributary track commences and the exit station wherein the tributary track ends. The tributary track also includes cash stations having indicia thereon representative of a financial return on an acquired investment whereby a player acquires wealth in the form of simulated money.

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GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to board games.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Board games have enjoyed a great deal of popularity throughout the years. One form of board game which has proved popular is an investment type game wherein the object is to accumulate wealth in the form of simu lated money or the like. However, most of these board games have one track for playing piece path of travel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and entertaining board game involving inventions and investments relating thereto and having more than one track on which a playing piece may travel. A further object is to provide a game having a main track and tributary tracks which may be travelled for different purposes.

These and other objects of the invention are accomplished in one embodiment currently contemplated which provides for a gameboard having a playing surface thereon, a plurality of playing pieces at least one for each player of the game, and a chance device for determining the advancement of the playing pieces on the gameboard. The playing surface has a plurality of stations arranged thereon so as to form at least two tracks defining playing piece paths of travel. One of the tracks is a main track whereon the playing pieces normally move. The other tracks are tributary tracks starting and ending at different points along the main track. It is contemplated that a playing piece can be moved from the main track to a tributary track and back onto the main track according to the dictates of the chance device.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, there is also included simulated money and a plurality of sets of chance cards. The main track stations include investment stations which have invention type indicia thereon representative of investments that a player may acquire by expending the simulated money. The main track also includes at least one entrance station and one exit station defining locations wherein a playing piece may be moved off of the main track and back onto the main track respectively.

The tributary track has stations including stations which overlap the aforesaid entrance and exit stations wherein the tributary track commences and ends. The tributary track also includes cash stations having indicia thereon representative of a financial return on an acquired investment whereby a player may acquire wealth in the form of simulated money.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of the gameboard of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a series of perspective views (from left to right) of a playing piece, dice type chance means, and a partnership card employed in the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of representative cards of one set of cards (patcnt cards) employed in the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of representative cards of another set of cards (chance" cards) employed in the present invention;

FIG. Sis a plan view of representative cards ofa third set of cards (hazard" cards) employed in the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of representative cards of a fourth set of cards (protection" cards) employed in the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of simulated money used in the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The game of the present invention is an investment type game using patents or inventions as the theme and a means of acquiring wealth. The object of the game is to acquire wealth by obtaining a financial return on the patents. The game generally includes a gameboard, generally designated 10 (FIG. 1), a playing piece 12 (FIG. 2) for each player of the game, a chance device in the form ofa pair of dice 14(FIG. 2), a set of patent cards 16 (FIG. 3), a set of chance cards 18 (FIG. 4), a set of hazard cards 20 (FIG. 5), a set of protection cards 22 (FIG. 6), and simulated money 24 (FIG. 7).

The gameboard 10 has a flat playing surface 26 which has a closed main track, generally designated 28, running generally along the periphery of the board and defining a normal playing piece path of travel. Four tributary tracks, generally designated 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d, define secondary playing piece paths of travel and are connected to the main track 28 by overlapping stations.

More particularly, the main track 28 comprises a plurality of stations. The stations include investment sta tions 32, four entrance and exit stations 34a, 34b, 34c and 34d at the corners of the playing surface, and intermediate stations 36 between said investment stations and entrance and exit stations. Each investment station 32 has indicia thereon representative of a patented invention and the price at which the patent and/or invention can be purchased. The intermediate stations 36 have indicia thereon instructing a player to pick a card from one of the three sets of cards 18, 20 and 22.

The entrance and exit stations 34a, 34b, 34c and 34d define locations wherein a playing piece 12 may be moved off the main track 28 onto one of the tributary tracks 30a, 30b. 30c or 30d and back onto the main track 28. Specifically, station 34a is the entrance to tributary track 300 and the exit from tributary track 30d; station 34d is the exit from tributary track 300 and the entrance to tributary track 30b, station 346 is the exit from tributary track 30b and the entrance to tributary track 30c; and station 34d is the exit from tributary track 300 and the entrance to tributary track 30d.

Each of the tributary tracks 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d comprise a plurality of cash stations 38 (only the stations of tributary track 30c in FIG. I are numerically labelled herein). Each tributary track station 38 has indicia thereon representative of the financial return on an acquired patented invention. According to the dictales of the cash stations 38 on which a playing piece lands, a player collects simulated money 24.

It can be seen that the board game of the present invention has two sets of tracks which are used for different purposes. First, there is the main track wherein investments are acquired and good and bad events befall 3 the player. The tributary tracks 30a. 30b, 30c and 30d provide means to acquire money, e.g.. as royalties. as a result of the acquisition of investments in the form of the patented inventions.

Turning now to FIG. 3, the patent cards I6 have indicia thereon representative of a patented invention and are related to the indicia on each of the investment stations 32. The patent cards 16 serve the purpose of providing the physical means of acquiring ownership of pa tents. Each patent card 16 has printed thereon the amount of royalties which can be collected as a result of owning that particular patent depending on the num' ber of claims which that patent has. In addition, each patent card 16 has the sale price thereon of that particular patent depending on the number of claims which are included in the patent.

Turning to FIG. 4 in greater detail, the chance cards 18 have indicia printed on one side thereof representative of an advantage of hazard that may befall a player. A player may pick a card from the set of chance cards 18 if his playing piece 12 should land on an intermediate station 36 designated play card.

Turning to FIG. 5 in greater detail, the hazard cards have indicia printed on one side thereof representative of a hazard that can befall a player. An example of a typical hazard would be to lose certain patent protection. i.e., lose all of a patents claims. or to pay out money. A player picks a card from the set of hazard cards 20 whenever his playing piece lands on an inter mediate station 36 bearing the indicia uh-oh card".

Turning to FIG. 6 in greater detail, the protection cards 22 have indicia printed on one side thereof representative of the amount of protection in the form of pa tent claims which a player is entitled to apply to one of his acquired patents. The indicia on the protection cards 22 either will give the number of claims, or will say patent pending" which means no claim protection. A player picks a protection card 22 when his playing piece lands on an intermediate station 36 having in dicia designated protection card".

Turning to FIG. 7 in greater detail. the simulated money is seen to have indicia on one side thereof repre' sentative of an amount of money. The money 24 is printed in different denominations.

Also provided are partnership cards 40 (FIG. 2). Partnership cards may be included in one of the three other sets of cards 18, 20 or 22 or can be given to each player at the beginning of the game. Each partnership card 40 has indicia printed on one side thereof representative of a percentage of ownership one player may acquire of another players patented invention during the play of the game.

To play the game, each player picks a playing piece 12 which is distinguishable from the other playing pieces either in color or in shape. In addition, each player is given the same amount of money 24 from a bank" to start the game. Each playing piece 12 starts on the main track 28. The players then take turns rolling the dice 14 in order to determine how far their respective playing piece 12 shall be advanced along the tracks 28, a. 30b, 30c or 30d. It should be noted that the playing pieces may move in one direction only leg, clockwise in FIG. 1) and are allowed to move only on the main track 28 subject to exception which will be discussed hereinafter.

If a playing piece lands on investment station 32. the player has the option to buy the patented invention indicated on that station. If the player desires to purchase the patented invention, he pays the stated selling price to the bank and in return receives a patent card l6 representative of that patented invention. If the player should land on one of the intermediate stations 36 he must pick from one of the three respective sets of cards 18, 20 and 22, as described above, and follow the directions indicated thereon.

Should a player land on an entrance and exit station 34a, 34b, 34c or 34d, he then has the option to move his playing piece 12 on his next turn along the respective tributary track 30a, 30b, 300 or 30d of which that entrance and exit station comprises its entrance. For example, if a playing piece should land on station 34a, the player has the option at his next turn of moving his playing piece along tributary track 30a.

Once a player lands on an entrance or exit station 34a, 34b, 34c or 34d and has decided that he will move his playing piece along one of the respective tributary tracks 30a, 30b, 30c or 30d, he must declare which of the patented inventions that he owns he will attempt to cash in on. Only those patented inventions which he has declared are eligible for a financial return. The player then shakes only one die 14 and moves his piece along the tributary track 30a, 30b. 30: or 30d accord ing to the dictates of the die. The player collects money according to the directions of the cash stations 38 on which his playing piece 12 lands. For example, he may receive a certain multiple of the amount of his royalties or he may be able to sell the patented invention for a certain multiple of the amount of its original selling price. The money he gets for cashing in on his invention comes from the bank. Once a player has cashed in on his declared inventions he must return the respective declared patent card 16 back to the bank, thereby making that patented invention open to ownership by other players.

Ifa player has a partnership card 40 and lands on an investment station 32 whose invention is owned by an other player, the player whose playing piece is on that station has the option to become partners with the first owner. In order to become partners, a player must have a partnership card 40 and pay the percentage amount of the worth of that patented invention to the first owner. After this is done, whenever the first owner cashes in on his patented invention the partner gets his share of the proceeds in accordance with his per cent of ownership.

The game can be continued until there is no more money left in the bank or after a given amount of time or after one player has a certain amount of money. The player having the greatest amount of money at any of these points is declared the winner of the game.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A board game comprising:

a gameboard having a playing surface thereon;

a plurality of playing pieces;

simulated money;

a set of patent cards each having indicia representative ofa patented invention and indicating the possible scope of protection in the form of the number of claims and the expected financial return of said patent in the form of its purchase price and royal ties corresponding to and increasing with the number of claims;

a set of protection cards each having indicia thereon which dictates how many claims a patented invention has, said protection cards being acquired during the course of the game;

a plurality of stations defining a main playing piece path of travel including patent stations having indicia thereon representative of a patented invention corresponding to the patented inventions represented by the patent cards, said patent cards being acquired by expending said simulated money should a player's playing piece land on that particular patent station, and protection stations having indicia thereon which allow a player to pick a pro tection card should its playing piece land on a protection station, said main path also including at least one entrance station and at least one exit station defining stations where a playing piece may be moved on or off the main path;

means defining a secondary playing piece path of travel on said playing surface connected to said main path, said secondary path comprising a plurality of stations including and overlapping with an entrance station wherein said secondary path begins and an exit station wherein said secondary path ends, whereby a playing piece may be able to move onto said secondary path only when it is advanced onto said entrance station, said secondary path also including cash stations having indicia thereon representative of a financial return on a patented invention, said financial return being the amount of royalties for the price indicated by a patent card corresponding to the number of claims obtained for that patent; and

a chance device for determining how many stations a particular playing piece is to be advanced along said paths.

2. The game of claim 1 wherein the main path is closed.

3. The game of claim 1 including a plurality of sets of chance cards, one set of cards having indicia thereon representative of one of many advantages that one player may acquire relative to said patented inventions, another set of cards having indicia thereon representative of one of many hazards that may befall a player relative to said patented inventions, said main path including stations having indicia thereon instructing a player whose playing piece lands thereon to pick a card from a particular set of cards.

4. The game of claim 3 including cards having indicia thereon allowing a player to buy into a patented invention and become a partner with another player who a]- ready owns that patent. 

1. A board game comprising: a gameboard having a playing surface thereon; a plurality of playing pieces; simulated money; a set of patent cards each having indicia representative of a patented invention and indicating the possible scope of protection in the form of the number of claims and the expected financial return of said patent in the form of its purchase price and royalties corresponding to and increasing with the number of claims; a set of protection cards each having indicia thereon which dictates how many claims a patented invention has, said protection cards being acquired during the course of the game; a plurality of stations defining a main playing piece path of travel including patent stations having indicia thereon representative of a patented invention corresponding to the patented inventions Represented by the patent cards, said patent cards being acquired by expending said simulated money should a player''s playing piece land on that particular patent station, and protection stations having indicia thereon which allow a player to pick a protection card should its playing piece land on a protection station, said main path also including at least one entrance station and at least one exit station defining stations where a playing piece may be moved on or off the main path; means defining a secondary playing piece path of travel on said playing surface connected to said main path, said secondary path comprising a plurality of stations including and overlapping with an entrance station wherein said secondary path begins and an exit station wherein said secondary path ends, whereby a playing piece may be able to move onto said secondary path only when it is advanced onto said entrance station, said secondary path also including cash stations having indicia thereon representative of a financial return on a patented invention, said financial return being the amount of royalties for the price indicated by a patent card corresponding to the number of claims obtained for that patent; and a chance device for determining how many stations a particular playing piece is to be advanced along said paths.
 2. The game of claim 1 wherein the main path is closed.
 3. The game of claim 1 including a plurality of sets of chance cards, one set of cards having indicia thereon representative of one of many advantages that one player may acquire relative to said patented inventions, another set of cards having indicia thereon representative of one of many hazards that may befall a player relative to said patented inventions, said main path including stations having indicia thereon instructing a player whose playing piece lands thereon to pick a card from a particular set of cards.
 4. The game of claim 3 including cards having indicia thereon allowing a player to buy into a patented invention and become a partner with another player who already owns that patent. 